Straw distributor



July 15, 1958 M. BAEHR sTRAw DISTRIBUTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21, 1951 ,r A 4 y v :7l/fill; .ll/f////A il,

July 15, 1958 M. BA1-:HR

STRAW DISTRIBUTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1951 Ju1y15,1958 M. BAEHR 2,843,292

STRAW DISTRIBUTOR l l Filed Sept. 21, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 .7H van )La f July 15, 1958 M. BAEHR 2,843,292

- STRAW DISTRIBUTOR Filed Sept. 21, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent O 2,843,292 STRAW DISTRIBUTOR Michel Baehr, Paris, France Application September 21, 1951, Serial No. 247,708 Claims priority, application France May 21, 1951 4 Claims. (Cl. 221-190) This invention relates to a distributor of 'straws or pipettes of the kind used for drinking certain beverages and whereby the consumers can take one by one straws stored beforehand in a suitable package or container adapted to deliver to the customers bare straws without the usual individual paper sheath while protecting the sterilized straws against undesirable contacts or dust. Tlhe invention is also concerned with the aforesaid package or container as a novel industrial product.

For this purpose and according to this invention the package or container in which the straws are stored for purposes of distribution consists of a cylindrical body of portions the vertices of which are truncated either beforehand or when the package is about to be inserted into the distributor so as to form an upper and a lower orifice, the lower'orifice having a diameter suiiicient to allow at least ten straws therethrough at the same time.

The distributor proper for distributing the straws stored in the aforesaid package or container comprises a conical supporting member adapted to receive one end of the package and vformed with an arcial hole having a diameter slightly greater than the straw, in combination with a piston adapted to slide in the conical supporting member through the axial hole thereof, formed with a preferably pointed end and having a diameter slightly greater than the` straw.

The atiixed drawings forming part of this specification illustrate diagrammatically by way of example a few` embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional view of the distributor in inoperative position. p g

Y Fig. 2 shows the Asame apparatus in operative position.

Fig. 3 is an Velevational view of the apparatus just before the operator has taken the distributed straw emerging from the top of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a modified embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a tray provided with the straw-distributing device according to the invention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of the package of straws prior to truncating in `accordance with the invention.

The package or container in which the straws 1 are accommodated consists ofa cylindrical body 2 with conical end portions 3, 4 yformed in turn with axial` apertures 5, 6. This package can be made of light metal or preferably transparent plastic material.

The distributor proper comprises a base plate 7 having fixed thereon a cylindrical guide member 8 extending upwards and an axial piston 9 formed with a pointed upper end 1l) and surrounded by a coil spring 11. The bottom end of the spring 11 bears against the base plate 7 and its top end engages a cylindrical socket formed at the lower end of a conical-shaped supporting member 12. A tubular member 13 is tightly fitted in the socket and extends from the lower end thereof. The pointed upper end of the piston 9 constantly engages the tubular member 13.

preferably circular cross-section with two conical end 2,843,292 Patented July 15, 1958 ICC A vring member 14 having an inner diameter slightly smaller than the cylidnrical body 2 of the package is connected through tie-rods or strips 15 to another ring member 16 adapted slidably to engage the outer surface of the cylindrical guide member 8 as shown; a checkmember 17 acts as `an upper abutment for limiting the upward stroke of the ring member 16 when the assembly 12, 2, 14, 15 and 16 is urged by the spring 11. The ring member 14 is covered with a cap member 18 of rubber or other yielding plastic material (vinyl chloride, polyethylene, etc.) formed with two axial crossed slits so that the resulting four corners 19 can be lifted for allowing a straw therethrough.

The device operates as follows:

The package or container is delivered in closed condition with the straws sterilized and fully protected against any contamination; the axial orifices 5, 6 are formed by cutting oli the vertices of the conical end portions 3, 4 if any, or by tearing oil guarantee strips from the pre-formed holes 5, 6.

The package `is then put into the distributor in the manner clearly visible in Fig. 1 and a central straw 20, positioned by the bottom tapered end 3 will register with the tubular member 13.

To extract a straw from the distributor the customer exerts a downward pressure on the assembly consisting of the ring member 14, rods 15 and ring: member 16 against the resiliency of the spring 11 and the package 2, 3, 4 is thus lowered. However, the aforesaid central straw 20 cannot follow this downward movement as it abuts against the axial piston 9; thus, the upper end of the straw 20 is guided by the top conical end 4 of the container and thus caused to pass therethrough by lifting the corners 19 of the crossed slits formed in the cap member 18 and to emerge therefrom as shown in Fig. 2.

On releasing the device the coil spring 11 will restore all these members to their initial positions, except for the straw 20. As illustrated in Fig'. 3 this straw 2t) is kept in 4its outside position by the resilient material of the cap member 18 and thus presented to the customer or consumer.

As soon as this straw 20 is completely drawn out from the device another central straw, guided by the tapered bottom 3 of the package will pass through the lower orilice 5 so as to register in turn with the tubular member 13; as already indicated, all the elements have resumed their initial position so that the apparatus is ready for `another distribution.

It will be noted that the impact resulting from the quick upward movement of the package or container which is caused by the release of the previously compressed spring 11 will so agitate the straws that the latter will be prevented from shouldering one another inside the package and from leaving an empty space at the place formerly occupied by the extracted straw.

It will be readily understood that many modifications may be made of the embodiment of the invention shownv against soiling and contamination;

Thus, more particularly, instead of using a. fixed piston and a movable packing, a movable piston and a fixed packing may be resorted to; moreover, instead of extracting the central straw 20 through the relative movement of a piston a rotary knurled wheel 21 (Fig. 4) may be used which is adapted to exert a light pressure against the lower end of the straw 2G engaging a hole 22 formed at the bottom. end of the conical support 23 and disposed coaxially therewith.

It is quite likely that at the beginning, due to the novelty o-f the device and its attractiveness the customers will be tempted to operate the distributor too many times, thereby unduly increasing the consumption of straws.

This inconvenience can be avoided while obtaining further advantages by attaching the distributor according `to the invention to a tray in such a manner that the waiter would serve on it the drinks ordered by the customers who would thus be able to help themselves with the required number of strawsythe waiter would then take the tray back with him for attending to other customers.

Instead of being formed integrally with the tray, the straw distributor may be disposed in a receptacle specially formed for this purpose in the tray,'for example in its centre; besides, this tray may also be formed with suitably :shaped and dimensioned cavities or holes for receiving the bottles of beverages to be served and, if desired, the glasses to be used therewith; notably a tray 24 (Fig. 5) carrying publicity decorations relating to a given product with special cavities 25 adapted to the shape and size of the bottles 26 in question could be provided.

Of course, publicity decorations could also be provided on the straw distributor proper.

What claim is:

1. A drinking straw dispenser comprising a base, a hollow cylindrical guide member being disposed normal to said base and having an abutment located in a selected position on 'its external surface, an ejector device mounted on said ba'se and axially in said guide member, a spring disposed around said ejector device, a funnel-shaped member being disposed so as to have its larger diameter in upward position and its lower end engaging said spring so as to be resiliently mounted thereon, a tubular member connected to said ttunnelshaped member eX- tending downwardly and providing guide means for said ejector, said funnel-shaped member providing a receptacle, a cylindrical package of straws having both ends conc-shaped to conform to said funnel-shaped member with apertures in said ends and having a large number of straws disposed parallel to the ejector device, a rst ring member disposed around the upper end of said package of straws and having a smaller diameter than the package so as to allow the ring to rest on the package, a flexible cap disposed over said i'lrst ring member and having two axial cross-slits so that the resulting :tour corners can be lifted by a straw emerging therethrough, a second ring member disposed around said guide means and being disposed between said base and said abutment so as to engage said abutment when moved upwardly, at least two tie-rods connecting said rst and said second ring members whereby downward pressure on said lirst ring-member will apply pressure on said package so as to cooperatively compress said spring and allow said tunnel-shaped member to move downwardly and said ejector to enter the lower aperture in said package of straws and eject a straw and release of said first ring member will allow said spring to extend and move the second ring up against said abutment so as to return the dispenser to position for dispensing.

2. 1n a drinking straw dispenser, a disposable package of straws, said package being vertically disposed and of cylindrical shape with conically projecting upper and lower end portions each having a central hole of a diameter slightly greater than that of a straw, means to receive and support the lower end portion of said package, a base, means resiliently mounting said lower end receiving means on said base for vertical movement, an ejector rod mounted on said base and projecting vertically upwardly in alignment with said hole in the lower end of said package, the upper end of said ejector being just below said package when said supporting means is in a normal position, vertically moving means receiving the upper conical end portion of said package to hold said package in a vertical position and means guiding said upper end receiving means in its vertical movement, said package constituting a force-transmitting connection between said upper and lower receiving means whereby downward force applied to Asaid upper receiving means is transmitted through said package to said lower receiving means so that the package is moved downwardly relative to said ejector rod which thereby engages a central straw in said package and ejects it through said hole in the upper end portion of said package.

3. A drinking straw dispenser in accordance with claim 2, in which said means to receive the lower end portion of the package of straws is funnelashaped and is guided by said ejector, and said means guiding said upper end receiving means is a hollow cylinder.

V4. A drinking straw dispenser comprising a base, a straw ejector mounted on the base, said ejector comprising a pointed rod, a funnel-shaped member having a lower aperture, means resiliently mounting said funnel-shaped member on said base for vertical movement relative to said ejector so that the ejector enters the aperture when said funnel-shaped member is moved downwardly, a hollow cylindrical guide member surrounding said ejector and said funnel-shaped member, a Iirst annular member being slidably disposed around said guide member, a second annular member, at least two tie-rods connecting said annular members so that the second annular member is held at a higher plane than said first annular member and above said funnel-shaped member, said funnel-shaped member and said second annular member being adapted to receive and hold an open-end package of straws between them.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 42,414 Snow Apr. 19, 1864 809,159 Willis et al. Jan. 2, 1906 905,003 Sahlin Nov. 24, 1908 1,039,756 Kirkpatrick et al. Oct. 1, 1912 1,751,169 Parker Mar. 18, 1930 1,751,170 Parker Mar. 18, 1930 1,876,680 Holtzman Sept. 13, 1932 1,962,556 Eberhardt June 12, 1934 1,978,260 Hanahan Oct. 23, 1934 2,107,744 Soloman Feb. 8, 1938 2,134,927 Peppiatt Nov. 1, 1938 2,215,705 Lenz Sept. 24, 1940 2,294,979 Goldberg Sept. 8, 1942 2,319,448 Frostad May 18, 1943 2,361,879 Schumann Oct. 31, 1944 2,457,345 Carline Dec. 28, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 138,356 Austria July 25, 1934 161,786 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1933 

